Culture in Mind

On May 30 in Seattle, Lee Stawicki shot five people then himself. The reports of his possible mental illness (specifically bipolar disorder) reinforced the stereotypes of people with bipolar disorder as being dangerous to society.

Learning is stressful and the modern-day education stakes are high because not only does a future ride on performance but so do the bank accounts of parents and adult students. The need for anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications has trickled down from corporate executives to children in pressure-cooker elementary schools.

Why are 'whore' and 'slut' offensive? Can women take them back and make them their own? Are we forever destined to be either a Madonna or a whore? Why is it bad for women to exercise their sexual power as they see fit? This post challenges some common notions about female sexuality and men's power to define it.

W.E.B. DuBois once said that the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line. As the twenty-first century enters its second decade the color line is sitll a problem. But now there are fancier names than racism; names like racial disproportionality and racial disparities.

Having children is a big experiment. A bigger experiment than anything science can conjure. The experiment is not just about how the child will turn out but also what kind of lessons we will learn about ourselves and about life in the process.

Want to sleep but can't? Want to get the benefits of a good night's sleep? Want tips for getting a good night's sleep? This article is a short and sweet discussion of the secret to a better brain, younger face and a longer life.

Waiting until exam time to get top grades creates lots of stress that can often lead to mental health struggles. To reduce the pressure of term papers, midterms and finals, it is best to start early with time management and study techniques that will create a routine that puts the student in control of their success.

Racism creates social conditions that puts people at risk for mental illness and once they are mentally ill, stigma and lower access to quality care reduces the likelihood of diagnosis and provides barriers to high quality care.

Am I crazy or am I just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Do I need medication or do I just need different cultural expectations? Am I a survivor of mental health or an ongoing 'victim'? Can we answer these questions without the framework of culture?

Mental health, culture, and ethnicity

Ruth C. White, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S.W., is a clinical associate professor at the University of Southern California's School of Social Work and author of the forthcoming book, The Stress Management Workbook.

About Culture in Mind

Culture in Mind explores all the ways in which culture, broadly conceptualized, interacts with mental health. Whether that be the culture of war or the culture of work or cultural norms and values that are passed down to us through our families. There will be a special focus on race and ethnicity.